Well surveying instrument



July 31, 1956 E. T. YOUNG 2,755,511

WELL sURvEYING INSTRUMENT Filed Dec. 7, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet l c+ zr AT TORN YS.

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WELL SURVEYING INSTRUMENT Filed Dec. 7. 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 v 5 592s 26"\. :,/fq'o L Q ggf f I9` 5 Q\/ f /1 j 44 667 4e Q20 68-f a a f f i 5 5 i ,56; i i a /g F/G. 2. 5 5 5 j JNVENTOR. f E//VAR 7', YOUNG 78 7g, BY l llV /Zui @-7 J4 x Ll ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent O WELL SURVEYIN G INSTRUMENT Einar T. Young, Newtown Square, Pa., assigner to Sun Oil Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 7, 1951, Serial No. 269,469

4 Claims. (Cl. S13-205.5)

This invention relates to well surveying instruments of the multiple shot type capable of providing a continuous survey of a bore hole or a portion thereof.

Multiple shot well surveying instruments have been in common use for the purpose of determining the inclination and direction of inclination of bore holes at spaced points along their lengths, the spacings of the points being such as to provide eiectively continuous information so that the course of the bore hole may be accurately determined. Instruments of this type have been run in various fashions, on wire lines or by attachment to drill stems, in order to provide the desired surveys. Generally, however, they have not been applicable to the making of surveys concurrently with drilling operations: in other words, drilling has had to be interrupted to the extent that the drill stem has had to be removed from the hole prior to making the survey. The present invention relates particularly to the making of a survey during the period of removal of a drill stern from a hole such as is necessary in any event for the purpose of changing bits. Specifically, in accordance with the present invention, drilling is carried out to the condition requiring change of a bit. The drill stem is provided with a non-magnetic drill collar. The instrument of the present invention is go-deviled through the drill stem into the non-magnetic drill collar and then, as the drill stern is removed from the hole, records are made of both inclination and direction.

An attempt to survey a hole in this fashion with an instrument controlled from the surface would be impossible because of the fact that a cable cannot extend through the drill stem sections during removal of the drill stem since separation of the usual fourble lengths would be impossible. Various multiple shot well surveying instruments are known which are self-contained and include timing devices for the purpose of making records, by photographic exposure, or otherwise, at predetermined time intervals. Such instruments also involve the disadvantage that records are made at predetermined times whether or not they are desired at such times. Obviously, under such conditions, it is necessary to keep a record at the surface of the times at which exposures would be made and insure the proper lengthwise positions of the drill stem at such times and also insure that the drill stem is then stationary. The result of this type of operation is not only delay in waiting for the exposures to be made but also very considerable waste of photographic lm or paper due to the making of numerous exposures while the drill stern is in motion so that the records cannot be valid.

ln accordance with the present invention, these difficulties are overcome by providing a self-contained instrument with a control which is highly insensitive to lengthwise or transverse movements of the drill stem but is sensitive to rotary accelerations thereof. Through the use of such a control the cycle of recording is initiated either by starting or terminating rotation of the drill stem. Following initiation of the cycle, a suiiicient time is permitted to elapse for the drill stem to be brought to a ICC stationary condition and for the inclination and direction sensitive elements to come to rest. An exposure is then made, there being noted the depth at which the exposure occurs. As a result of this type of operation there is little waste of photographic iilm or other recording inaterial and delays are minimized since, in general, the rotations which produce records are those which, in any event, would be involved for the separation of the various drill stem sections as the stem is withrawn from the hole.

The general object of the invention will be evident from the foregoing and comprises the attainment of the results just indicated.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a well surveying instrument which has a very small diameter so that it may be dropped through a small size drill stem.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an instrument of the small size just indicated which, nevertheless, has a capacity for making a large number of records. For example, in the case of the instrument which will be described, it is possible to make easily upwards of two hundred exposures on sixteen millimeter iilm with an internal instrument having a diameter of only thirty-tive millimeters. This interior instrument7 of course, must be enclosed in a strong protective casing which adds diameter but nevertheless the entire instrument may be such as to pass through even the smallest size drill stems in common use.

In order to provide a large number of exposures, as just indicated, in a self-contained instrument, it is obvious that adequate power must be provided for the repeated operation of the mechanical parts involved in control of the exposures and advance of the ilin. A further object of the invention relates, therefore, to the provision of mechanical power means of very compact nature but providing suiiicient total energy for all ot the operations required. Inasmuch as the mechanical power is supplied by a spring arrangement, the instrument, which is preferably of photographic type, is required to carry batteries only suicient to furnish the illumination for the photographic exposures.

The invention also has as an object the provision of a means highly sensitive to rotary acceleration but highly insensitive to translational movements of the drill stem either along or transverse to its axis.

The foregoing objects and other objects particularly relating to details of construction and operation will become apparent from the following description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures lA, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E and 1F are axial sections taken in order from the uppermost to the lowermost portions of an instrument provided in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is an axial section taken approximately at right angles to the sections shown in Figures 1A and 1B and showing certain of the parts which are also shown in Figures lA and 1B; and

Figures 3A and 3B are successive sections taken axially at substantially right angles to the sections 1D and 1E to illustrate further various parts thereof.

The drawings illustrate only the internal parts of the well surveying instrument, it being understood that the assembly illustrated will be located in a pressure-resistant protective casing for insertion through the drill stem. Since such protective casings, provided with the usual shock-absorbing arrangements, are well known, they will not be described herein. As will become evident from the description of the operation hereafter, a non-magnetic drill collar will be so constructed and arranged as to cooperate with the protective casing to locate it near the bottom of the drill stem in axial alignment with the drill stem. It may also be here noted that, since the instrument is of magnetic type, it is necessary not only to provide a non-magnetic drill collar but also to provide a protective casing of non-magnetic material with the constructions of both such as to remove from the iniiuence of the bit and portions of the drill stem, which are of magnetic material, the sensitive direction element which involves a magnetic compass. The portions of the instrument shown in the drawings are also non-magnetic except, possibly, for minor parts which are quite substantially removed from the compass element.

Referring first to Figure lA, there is indicated at 2 a tube, the upper portion of which is not shown, which is adapted to contain the batteries required to illuminate the lamps for the purpose of making exposures. These batteries 4 are stacked in usual fashion in series to provide the desired supply voltage and the positive pole of the uppermost battery is arranged in conductive relationship with a closure plug, not shown, in usual fashion to ground it to the housing including the tubular section 2 and the other tubular sections which are connected together by means of plugs, these various tubular sections and plugs being of conductive. materia-l.

The metallic casing of the lowermost battery 4 engages the plate against which there abuts the spring 12 to drive downwardly the hollow pin 14 which is slidable in the insulating insert 8 in the coupling 6. The lower end of pin 14 engages a contact button 16 which is connected to an insulated wire indicated at 19.

The next housing tube 20 contains a metallic chamber 22 which is closed by a plug 24 in an arrangement providing a liquid-tight seal by reason of the O-ring 25. The resulting chamber 26 contains a hollow cylindrical member 28 supported by trunnions at 30 and 32 in bearing sockets in the cap 24 and cup 22, respectively, the axis of member 23 being coincident with the aXis of the instrument. Within the hollow cylindrical member 28 there is a radially extending transverse baffle 34 which effectively divides the member 284 into two semicircular chambers. These chambers are opened to the interior of chamber 26 through openings such as indicated at 36. The chamber 25 and the interior of member 28 are filled with mercury to provide inertia as hereinafter more fully pointed out.

Projecting into an opening 3.3 in the lower end wall of the member 28 is a rod 40 which is supported in an open.- ing in the cup 22 by an O-ring 42 which` provides not only an effective pivot for rod di) but also seals the arrangement against loss of mercury. As. will become apparent, the rod 40 is required to have only a slight oscillating movement with respect to cup 22` when the member 2S moves rotatably relative to. this cup.

The lower end of rod di) enters a fork' provided by the turned upper end 46 of a leaf member 48 and an angle 5@ secured thereto. The leaf 4.8.is pivoted at 52 to-aiixed supporting member forming partV of thel housing but is sufficiently flexibleto have at its end` 46- a movement toward the right as viewed in Figure lA. However, the lower end of rod 40 is. free for relative movement with respect to the fork arrangement in a direction to the right or left, as viewed in Figure 2. A spring 54 normally urges the leaf 48 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 2. Also pivotally mounted at 52 tothe rear of the leaf 4S, as viewed in Figure 2, is a lever S6, which is normally urged in a clockwise direction, as viewed in` Figure 2, by a spring 58. The leaf 48 is provided with an opening 66 which embraces with clearance a pin 62' carried by the lever 56. At its upper end lever* 56y carries an insulating block 6d engageable by an adjustable screw 66 threaded into the upper end of a thin leaf member 63 which carries an` electrical contact point 70 arrangedto engage at proper times a cooperating fixed contact point 72 which is electrically connected to the insulated wire 19. The extension 74 of leaf 68 is secured to the framework and its lower end 76 provides electrical contact with a button 112 which will be hereafter referred to.

A bevel gear 78 is carried by a tubular shaft 79 and meshes with a similar bevel gear 80 which is mounted on an axis transverse to the axis of the instrument. These gears provide the initial gears of a Series arranged in clockwork fashion and comprising gear S2, pinion 34, gear 86, pinion 88, gear Sil, pinion 92, gear 94 and pinion 96, the last being secured to the escape wheel 93 with which cooperate the arms of a pallet 100, the pallet being of substantial inertia so that, as it oscillates, it controls the rotation of the escape wheel. The arrangement is essentially a clockwork train which controls slow rotation of the pinion 34 and its shaft which carries a cam 196.

The escape wheel 98 is provided with a semicircular pin 102 which is arranged to cooperate with, and be stopped by, a similar semicylindrical pin 194 carried by the leaf 48.

The cam 1% has the shape shown in Figure 2 and, in particular', is provided with a notch portion 19t?. There rides on the cam, under the action of spring 53, a pin 1li) carried by lever 56.

The cam 106 makes a complete revolution for each quarter revolution of shaft 79 and provides a one-revolution arrangement as follows:

When, due to relative rotation between member 253 and the instru-ment housing to which the cup 22 is fixed, the lower end of rod d@ moves toward the right, as viewed in Figure 1A, the leaf 48 is moved tothe right so that its opening 613 is disengaged from pin 62. Spring 54 then rocks the leaf i8 clockwise, as viewed in Figure 2, to an extent limited by the stub pin 55. The result is to disengage the stop pin M4 from the pin 102 carried by the escape wheel 98. The escape wheel 9S is thus freed for movement by the shaft 79 under spring action, as hereafter described, and cam 106 will then rotate clockwise, as viewed in Figure 2. As indicated in this ligure, in initial position, pin liti engages the outer circumference of this cam under the action of spring 58 so that block 64 by pressure against screw 66 disengages contacts 70' and '72. The cam continues to rotate and. eventually, after a substantial delay determined by the operation of the clockwise train, the pin il() will drop into the notch 108. When this occurs, spring 5S will rock lever 56 clockwise permitting engagement of contact 75l with contact 72 to complete the electrical circuit. At the same time,l the pin 62 will move toward the right, as viewed in Figure 2, to come into alignment with opening 60 in leaf 48 with the result that the leaf t3 wili spring toward the lever 56, causing opening 6u to embrace again the pin 62. The cam 196 will continue to rotate, causing the pin 116i to be moved toward the right, as viewed in Figure 2, with consequent counterclockwise movement of lever 56, and with it, leaf d3 by reason of the engagement of pin 62 in opening oil. The result is to break the electrical circuit and' to bring stop pin 104 into the path of pin 192 to stop the rotation of the clockwork train. Thus, the initially described movement of rod 49 provides a single revolution of cam Edle and a quarter revolution of shaft 79.

The button 112, previously described, is connected by an insulated' wire 114 to a button 116 at the lower end of the hollow shaft 7 9.

The shaft 79 is mounted in the coupling member liti whichy connects tube 2.9 tothe next lower tube 129 which houses the spring motor for driving the shaft. Surrounding the lower exterior of shaft 79 is a tubular shaft 122 which is provided with a pin 124 forming an anchor for the inner end of a spiral leaf spring 126, the outer end of which springv is anchoredy by pin 128 to a tubular element 13?. The tubular element 130 has a pin. 1.3i fixed therein providing the anchor for the outermost convolution of a second spiral leaf spring 132, the inner end of which is anchored to a pin 134 secured. in a second tubular shaft section 136. Further spiral springs 14), 148, 156 and 164 are connected in series in the same general fashion as springs 126 and 132, these springs being provided with inner anchor pins 138, 150, 154 and 166 and outer anchor pins 142, 146, 158 and 162. As will be evident from the drawing, pins 134 and 138 are carried by the hollow shaft section 136, and pins 150 and 154 are carried by the hollow shaft section 152. Pins 142 and 146 are carried by sleeve 144 and pins 158 and 162 are carried by sleeve 160. The pin 166 is not only connected to the sleeve section 167 but also to shaft 79.

As will be evident from the foregoing, all of the springs described are connected in series, the result being that of a large spiral spring but with the provisions of an arrangement which is encompassed in a quite small diameter.

A greater or lesser number of springs may be thus provided depending upon requirements. It may be noted that in a well surveying instrument, it is generally relatively immaterial how long it may be and, consequently, parts may be extended axially to any desired extent for the purpose of conserving diameter.

The lower end of shaft section 122 must, of course, be arranged so that the springs may be wound and also so as to provide a fixed anchor for the lowermost spring 126. To this end, there is secured to the shaft 122 a a member 168 provided with teeth 170 which may be engaged by cooperating teeth on a winding member inserted into the lower end of tube 120 when this is disengaged from lower portions of the instrument. To provide a fixed anchorage and, yet, permit free winding, a simple overrunning clutch arrangement is provided by a helical spring 172 which is so formed as normally to engage tightly the cylindrical portion of member 168. The upper end of this spring is secured to a xed post 174. When the member 168 is rotated in winding direction, this direction in conjunction with the direction of the helix of spring 172, is auch that the spring will tend to be unwound releasing the member 168 for free winding rotation. However, when winding is completed and the tendency of the power springs will be to rotate the member 168 in the opposite direction, it will tend to tighten the helical spring 172 and will thus be gripped and held fixed. The energy stored in the springs is, accordingly, available to drive the shaft 79.

In addition to controlling the illumination for the photographic exposures, the shaft 79 must impart by its rotation feeding movements to the photographic film. To this end, there is journalled on the lower end of shaft 79 a cam member 176 provided with four cam rises, indicated at 178, between which are located sockets. A pin 180 is secured in the member 176 and has anchored to it one end of a helical spring 182 which provides an overrunning clutch by reason of its being in tight engagement with the lowermost end of shaft 79. The overrunning clutch arangement is provided in order that upper and lower portions of the instrument may be assembled by the threading of a coupling member 184 into the lower end of tube 120. if it were not for this overrunning arrangement, a follower, as will presently appear, would not be properly timed with respect to cam 176 when assembly was completed. The arangement is such that, when the coupling member is threaded into the tube 120, the cam follower shown at 188 in Figure 1D will engage within one of the cam sockets and will freely rotate the cam with respect to shaft 79 by causing uncoiling of spring 182. On the other hand, when drive of cam 176 occurs, the spring will be tightened up to provide a tight interrelationship between shaft 79 and cam 176.

Threaded to the lower end of coupling 184 is a tube 186 which provides a housing for the photographic lm and which, accordingly, must be light-tight. The cam follower roller 188 is carried by a slide 190 which is urged upwardly by a spring 192. Pivoted to this slide is a link 196 which is, in turn, pivoted to an oscillating member 288 at pivot point 198, the member 200 being journalled on a shaft 204 which carries a ratchet 206 arranged to be advanced by a spring pawl 208 carried by sweden the member 200. Secured to ratchet 206 is the filtri feed sprocket 210. As will be evident, the rotation of cam 176 will produce oscillations of the member 200 to advance the sprocket 210 step by step. Reverse movements of this sprocket are prevented by a ball-type detent 212 bearing on the periphery of the pinwheel under the action of spring 214. The sprocket advance is in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 3A.

The ilm F is trained in zigzag fashion through the tube 186 by the provision of guideways 216 and 217, which, in particular, prevent fogging of portions of the film not being exposed during the making of a particular exposure, and by reason of the provision of pulleys 218 and 220 which rotate on fixed axes, pulley 224 which is movable to tension the film by reason of its being carried by a plunger 226 urged downwardly by spring 228, and by pulley 230 over which the lm is trained adjacent to the aperture 232 in a member 234 which closes the lower portion of the tube 186. As will be evident from the drawings, the film is provided in the form of an endless band trained about the sprocket and pulleys just mentioned in order to secure a maximum length in a minimum length of the instrument. It will, of course, be evident that by suitable choice of length of the iilm chamber any desired amount of film may be incorporated therein. As will be particularly clear from Figures 1D, 1E. and 1F, by slipping the interior assembly from the tube 186, the Iilm may be readily loaded in a dark room. The film passes over pulley 230 at the position where it is to be exposed through opening 232. The iilm thus presents a cylindrical surface to the projection of the sensitive elements of the instrument.

A metallic coupling member 353 is threaded into the lower end of the tube 186 and provides a support 252 for a centrally located lens 253 which, as will appear hereafter, projects an image of the indicating element on the film strip. The lens 253 is a small aperture lens and has suicient depth of focus that the focus is sharp over the entire field.

In order to conduct current from the batteries and switch to the lamps 256, there is provided a plunger 235 in an assembly of insulation urged by a spring 236 to engage the button 116 at the lower end of the shaft 79. From this spring, there extends a wire, which is not shown throughout its full extent, but which is indicated at 238 at its connection with an insulated conducting assembly at 240 from which the current is conducted through a spring 242 to the conducting plate 244.

In the coupling member 353 there are provided insulating tubes 258 which receive pins 260 and 262 urged outwardly by springs 264 to provide electrical contacts with central contacts of lamps 256, threaded bases of which are threaded into openings in coupling member 353 to provide ground connections.

In order that the instrument may be handled in daylight and, in particular, so that it may be disassociated from the inclination-direction indicating assembly, there is pivoted at 248 to the insulating assembly at the lower end of tube 186 a light trapdoor 246 which is normally urged closed by a spring 250 but which is forced open to clear the optical path by the projection 252 on the upper end of the coupling 353 of the inclination-direction and optical assembly.

Below the lamps 256 there is provided a direction-inclination unit. This comprises a pair of transparent members 266 and 268, desirably of glass (though they may be of metal, the upper one being provided with a glass window), which are clamped together within tube 265 and provide a spherical chamber indicated at 270 at the top of which in the axis of the instrument there is inscribed a reference marking at 272, for example, consisting of a small circle with a cross therein. Within the spherical chamber there is located a counterweight, indicated at 274, the lower surface of which is of frustolength of the bore hole as the drill stem is being removed therefrom. The mechanism disclosed for initiating the apparatus in response to rotation of the drill stem provides a convenient method of control, and the insensitivity of this portion of the apparatus to longitu dinal or transverse motion provides a relatively foolproof control mechanism.

The spring motor drive mechanism, shown in Figure 1C, makes possible the provision of a clockwork timer which will operate over a considerable period of time While occupying a minimum of diamctrical space, this dimensional requirement being a strict requirement in this type of apparatus.

The various exposures made by the apparatus may be readily correlated to the depth within the hole at which the survey is made by measurement of drill stem length which is easily and accurately made. The various sur- Veys are recorded successively on the photographic lm which may be easily removed from the apparatus and then developed in the conventional manner.

It will be evident that various modifications may be made in the details of the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Well surveying apparatus comprising means indieating a condition within a bore hole, means for illuminating said indicating means, a light sensitive strip, means for directing an image of said indicating means on a portion of said strip when said indicating means is illuminated, means for moving said strip a predetermined length, means for energizing said illuminating means, and means responsive to rotation of said apparatus for rst actuating said means for moving said strip the predetermined length and, after the strip has completed its movement, actuating said means for energizing said illuminating means, said rotation responsive means including a rotatably mounted member having a substantially transversely positioned interior baffle and containing a tluid material.

2. Well surveying apparatus comprising means for recording a condition within a bore hole and means for actuating said recording means, said last mentioned means including a movably mounted flexible member, urging means operatively connected to said flexible member urging movement thereof, releasable means restraining motion of said flexible member, said releasable means being released upon eXure of said flexible member, and means responsive to rotation of said apparatus for eX- ing said eXble member to release said releasable rcstraining means to permit motion of said member by said urging means.

3. Well surveying apparatus comprising means for recording a condition within a bore hole and means for actuating said recording means, said last mentioned means including a pivotally mounted flexible member, means urging rotation of said tlexible member about its pivot, .releasable means restraining rotation of said exible member, said releasable means being released upon exure of said leXible member, and means responsive to rotation of said apparatus for exing said member to release said releasable restraining means to permit rotation of said member about said pivot by said urging means.

4. Well surveying apparatus comprising means indicating a condition within a bore hole, means for illuminating said indicating means, a light sensitive strip, means for directing an image of said indicating means on a portieri of said strip when said indicating means is illuminated, a rst movable member, a second movable member, urging means operatively connected to each of said members, means controlling the position of said rst member, latch means restraining motion of said second member with respect to said first member, means responsive to rotation of said apparatus for releasing said latch means, means responsive to motion of said second member by said urging means after release of said latch means for moving said strip a predetermined length and for actuating said first member position controlling means, and means responsive to motion of said first member by said urging means and said rst member position controlling means for energizing said illuminating means for a predetermined time interval, for reengaging said latch means, and for repositioning both of said movable members.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,328,402 Schil Ian. 20, 1920 1,910,720 Tarlton May 23, 1933 1,981,665 Rieber Nov. 20, 1934 2,103,235 Conrad Dec. 28, 1937 2,109,690 Culbertson Mar. 1, 1938 2,195,224 Opocensky Mar. 26, 1940 2,313,168 Opocensky Mar. 9, 1943 2,396,869 McDonald et al Mar. 19, 1946 2,559,373 Ring July 3, 1951 2,572,332 Goodwin Oct. 23, 1951 2,584,983 Butterworth Feb. 12, 1952 2,620,712 Clifford Dec. 9, 1952 FORElGN PATENTS 11,628 Great Britain 1908 351,745 Great Britain July 2, 1931 

2. WELL SURVEYING APPARATUS COMPRISING MEANS FOR RECORDING A CONDITION WITHIN BORE HOLE AND MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID RECORDING MEANS, SAID LAST MENTIONED MEANS INCLUDING A MOVABLY MOUNTED FLEXIBLE MEMBER, URGING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID FLEXIBLE MEMBER URGING MOVEMENT THEREOF, RELEASABLE MEANS RESTRAINING MOTION OF SAID FLEXIBLE MEMBER, SAID RELEASABLE MEANS BEING RELEASED UPON FLEXURE OF SAID FLEXIBLE MEMBER, AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO ROTATION OF SAID APPARATUS FOR FLEXING SAID FLEXIBLE MEMBER TO RELEASE SAID RELEASABLE RESTRAINING MEANS TO PERMIT MOTION OF SAID MEMBER BY SAID URGING MEANS. 